10 november advocate - kentucky school boards association

A D V O C A T EKENTUCKY SCHOOLA publication of the Kentucky School Boards Association n November 2010

Focus on freshmen

College- and career-readiness strategiesSHaKY ECONOmY, STEadY fUTUrE TEaCHErSAuditing improvement plans

enhancing education

through design

101 old lafayette avenue lexington, kentucky 40502 p 859.254.4018 www.rosstarrant.com

November 2010 w Kentucky School Advocate w 3

DepArtmeNtSTake Note ....................................... 4

People are Talking ......................... 6

Ed Innovators ............................... 18

In Conversation With ................... 20

CommeNtAryPresident’s Corner ......................... 5

Get Your message Out ............... 22

FeAtureSAt rAndomThe state education department is tweaking the district comprehensive im-provement process, adding a new twist: it will send a team to verify whether randomly-selected districts are carrying out the steps outlined in their plan … Page 8

Still going StrongTeaching always has been thought of as a “safe” profession, insulated from general economic conditions. That assumption has been turned on its head during this Great Recession, but it doesn’t seem to be impacting the number of students who are entering the state’s colleges of education … Page 10

PrePArAtion PioneerSFifteen Kentucky school districts know it’s lonely at the top. They are the dis-tricts in which more than 50 percent of students are college and career ready – bright spots in an otherwise dismal statewide picture. How did they do it? … Page 12

FirSt PerSonSchool board teams attending this year’s KSBA Fall Regional Meetings aren’t just getting facts and figures about the dropout rate and how to reduce it: They are hearing firsthand from former and would-be dropouts about what helped them stay on track. The meetings also saw the election of four new faces to the KSBA Board of Directors … Page 16

FreShmAn FixLeaders at Henry County High School knew their freshmen were struggling, but how to help them? The school created a learning community with a core group of teachers working together to help students make a successful transi-tion to freshman year and beyond … Page 18

on the cover

INDexKentucky School AdvocateVolume 17, Number 4

Henry County High School financial literacy teacher Dee Colvin reviews a worksheet with freshman emily Dixie. As part of the school’s Freshman Learn-ing Community, first-year students can sample four of five electives to get a feel for what they may be interested in during the rest of their time in high school ... Article on page 18.

dropout prevention, Page 16

“Safe” jobs, Page 10

High expectations, Page 12

enhancing education

through design

101 old lafayette avenue lexington, kentucky 40502 p 859.254.4018 www.rosstarrant.com

4 w Kentucky School Advocate w November 2010

KSBA Board of Directors

Officers Delmar Mahan, President Whitley CountyTom Blankenship, President elect Lincoln CountyEd Massey, Immediate Past President Boone County

Directors-at-large Linda Duncan, Jefferson CountyRonnie Holmes, Graves County Dr. John Inman, Meade CountyAllen Kennedy, Hancock CountyDurward Narramore, Jenkins IndependentEugene Peel, Jessamine CountyDr. Jackie Pope-Tarrence, Bowling Green Independent Ann Porter, Mason CountyWilliam White, Pulaski CountyCarl Wicklund, Kenton County Phyllis Young, Scott County

Regional ChairpersonsScott Burrows, Trimble CountyDr. Felix Akojie, Paducah IndependentJeanette Cawood, Pineville IndependentMike Combs, Campbell CountyJeff Eaton, Allen CountyJane Haase, Owensboro IndependentLisa Hawley, Cloverport IndependentPhyllis J. Lawson, Menifee CountyDennis R. Smith, Hazard IndependentJeff Stumbo, Floyd CountyChris Watts, Adair CountyAmbrose Wilson IV, Woodford County

Kentucky School Boards Association260 Democrat Dr.Frankfort, KY 40601800-372-2962 www.ksba.org

Executive Director ........................... Bill ScottMember Support Director ..... Brad HughesAdvocate Editor ............. Madelynn ColdironPublications Coordinator ... Jennifer WohllebAccount Executive ....................... Mary Davis

The Kentucky School Advocate is published 10 times a year by the Kentucky School Boards Association. Copies are mailed to KSBA members as part of their association membership. One additional issue each year is published exclusively on KSBA’s website.

tAKe NoteRace to the other grantsKentucky school districts and educa-

tion cooperatives cleaned up in the 2010 rounds of three major federal grant programs.

A chunk of $115.3 million for improving the quality of teaching American history went to three co-ops and two individual school districts. Teaching American History grants went to Kentucky Educational Develop-ment Cooperative, $999,978; Coving-ton Independent Schools, $499,974; Knott County Schools, $475,366; West Kentucky Educational Cooperative, $997,072; and Ohio Valley Educational Cooperative, $998,739. The grants are for a three-year period.

The program is aimed at enhancing teachers’ understanding of American history through intensive professional development, including study trips to historic sites and mentoring with pro-fessional historians and other experts.

Meanwhile, six districts and one co-op will benefit from federal Emergency Management Grants to help strengthen their emergency management plans. The list of Kentucky grantees comprises: Breathitt County Schools, $150,000; Covington Independent, $298,394; Grant County Schools, $149,860; Green River Region Education Coopera-tive, $346,576; Perry County Schools, $147,500; Pulaski County Schools, $165,895; and Wolfe County Schools, $150,000.

Finally, Clinton and Fayette county school districts were the only Ken-tucky systems to receive a 2010 federal Elementary and Secondary School

Counseling Grant. The U.S. Depart-ment of Education program awarded 42 grants this year to help school districts hire mental health professionals and support counseling programs. Clinton County Schools received $334,500 and Fayette County Schools received a $379,881 grant.

Safe appointmentFloyd County Board of Educa-

tion Chairman Jeff Stumbo has been appointed to the Kentucky Center for School Safety Board of Directors. Stumbo, who also represents the East Kentucky South Re-gion on the KSBA Board of Directors,

has been a school board member since 1999. He was appointed to the safe schools board by Gov. Steve Beshear.

Blue-chip schoolsThis year’s National Blue Ribbon

School list includes five Kentucky el-ementaries. Nearly 300 schools nation-wide were honored by the U.S. Depart-ment of Education for helping students achieve at high levels and for making significant progress in closing achieve-ment gaps. The Kentucky honorees were Donald E. Cline Elementary in Campbell County, William H. Natcher Elementary in Cloverport Independent, Dixie Elementary Magnet in Fayette County, Sedalia Elementary in Graves County and Ezel Elementary in Morgan County. z

Health heroThe Daviess County school board has been named a Health Policy Hero by the

Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky. The award, accepted by Superintendent Tom Shelton at right, recognizes the board’s commitment to healthy nutrition and physi-cal activity in schools, which includes providing walking trails at all elementary schools, posting school menu nutrition information on the district’s website, putting healthy food choices in vending machines and milk machines in all schools, having a healthy food a la carte policy for conces-sion stands and meeting sites throughout the district, along with policies covering the food needs of students with diabetes and food allergies.

The program also recognized a business, a health department and a city. Each recipient received $1,000. Ph

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preSIDeNt’S CorNer

Charter schools for Kentucky require specifics, not just intentions, hopesDuring this year’s KSBA

Fall Regional Meetings, I was impressed by the

messages of some outstanding, yet “at risk” young people. Their stories were part of our focus on finding ways to reduce high school drop-out numbers in our state. In each of these presentations we clearly heard of the impact of quality al-ternative programs and committed people helping these young men and women turn their lives around.

I reflected on their words during the KSBA Board of Directors’ meet-ing while discussing the Legislative Agenda for the upcoming 2011 General Assembly. One of the is-sues we are asked to take a position on is charter schools. As I thought about these kids and the charter issue, I wondered to myself, “What would become of these students who had chosen to withdraw or had received the label ‘problem child’ if they were in a charter school? Would charters devote the time and resources to ensure that all children have the opportunity for a successful future?” I would certainly hope so, but I must admit that I’m not convinced.

On some issues, for KSBA to take a position is a no-brainer. Reducing dropouts? Yes. Unfunded mandates. No. More instructional days. Yes. Balancing the state’s revenue shortfalls on our schools? No. But the subject of charter schools is one we have no history with in Kentucky, and it has a very divided and debated history across the nation. That history, pro and con, known and un-known, is reflected on the webpages of the Center for Public Education.

The center is a creation of the National School Boards Association. NSBA has members in every state, so it includes states with charters and those without. Its members include Democrats, Repub-licans and Independents, liberals, moderates and conservatives. So when NSBA creates an initiative such as the center, it must play right down the middle with its information, perhaps more than most other research entities.

If you visit the center’s website, you’ll find a broad array of information about the issue of charter schools, various studies on them and school models in different states. You won’t find

a blanket “Charters are evil” or a “Charters are the salvation” as-sessment. But you will find some questions we in Kentucky must ask those who are pressing charters as a necessary next step in improving education:l Charter schools are free from

regulations. What regulations are charters free from that enable them to improve academic achievement? If charters excel free of those rules, shouldn’t they be lifted from public schools, too?l What effects do different state

governance models have on positive charter school outcomes? l What are charter schools’ effects

on local school districts in terms of funding, governance, logistics and accountability, as well as performance? l What lessons could traditional public schools

apply from local or multistate charter school or-ganizations about school size, instruction, staffing and collective bargaining?

Charter advocates promise all sorts of im-proved educational opportunities – for all children – if Kentucky leaders will just permit the charter experience to be initiated in our state. So far, I’ve seen tremendous evidence of a sales job on the charter concept, but little in the way of direct and specific answers to tough questions.

Senate Bill 1 does more than set goals for im-proving education in the state. It sets specific ex-pectations and mandates for measurements. Any Kentucky charter school legislation must have no less a set of specifics, along with public answers to the valid questions above and others.

I encourage all Kentucky school board mem-bers and superintendents – and all other Ken-tuckians who care about our efforts to improve teaching and learning across the state – to learn more about charter schools. Much more than promises, aspirations and “trust us” assurances are needed as we approach the 2011 legislative session – because students like those at-risk youth we heard from are trusting in us. z

— Go to www.centerforpubliceducation.org and click on learn about “charter schools” below the logo.

Delmar mahanKSBa President and

Whitley County Board of Education member


peopLe Are tALKINg

Quotes on education from Kentucky and elsewhere

“If a baseball player strikes out, grounds out or pops out seven

times out of ten, he’s still the guy you want at the plate at the bottom of the ninth with a tie score and the bases loaded. But with No Child Left Behind (NCLB), if you’re not batting a thousand, you’ve failed.” Lincoln County Schools Director of Academics Pam Hart summing up the sentiments of many Kentucky educators following the release of this year’s state test scores. From the Stanford Interior-Journal.

“We had one more drop out this year than last, but we

had six more students in Star Acad-emy that took longer than four years to graduate with their diploma. We get punished as though they were drop-outs (but) I’m going to keep do-ing it. That’s six kids that would have otherwise been drop outs that have a diploma.” Marshall County Schools Superintendent Trent Lovett on a dif-ferent measurement aspect of No Child Left Behind. From the Benton Tribune-Courier.

“We don’t take the attitude that ‘We’ve done all we can

do.’ They (teachers) do whatever it takes to help the kids master their cur-riculum. We focus on each and every kid. We all know who they all are.” Sci-ence Hill Independent Superintendent Rick Walker on his district’s continued perfect score – all AYP targets met every year since No Child Left Behind took

effect. From the Somerset Common-wealth-Journal.

“Wherever they put you, you play.” Russell Independent

High School football coach Ivan Mc-Glone with one viewpoint about the Kentucky High School Athletics As-sociation’s realignment of the state’s six- class district system. From the Ashland Daily Independent.

“Quite honestly, we feel like we’re getting hosed. There

are 1A schools with more boys than us. We’ve asked the state multiple times to change it, but it’s not going to happen.” Matt Reinhart, coach of Bishop Brossart High School, a private school in Camp-bell County, with a different outlook on the KHSAA changes. From nky.com.

“I might buy stock in a charter company.” Danville Indepen-

dent High School football coach Sam Harp on being placed in a district with teams located more than 100 miles away. From the Danville Advocate-Messenger.

“We want to be treated equal. We handle a lot of hard

work for you and we deserve the salary supplement. We do bring in the funds because of Medicaid billing.” Speech therapist Sheila Castle to the Carter County school board on a request that she and her colleagues be given a pay stipend, similar to the salary increase she said other employees received. From the Grayson Journal-Times.

“I think it makes us look foolish to accept it. I definitely think

letting us know about the money last minute puts us in an unfair position. I didn’t vote for the tax increase, so it wouldn’t have made sense for me to vote for a budget that included it.” Oldham County board member Walt Schumm on his vote against the dis-trict’s updated spending plan and the late inclusion of $2 million in “edujobs” funding. From the Louisville Courier-Journal.

“Mr. Raleigh will be referred to as Owen County Schools’

head coach who will take us to the ‘big dance.’ He will run through a tunnel

“There’s a mo-ment when it

clicks and starts to make sense. It’s no longer a mystical force.” Brian Lashbrook, lead comput-er technician for the Ow-ensboro Public Schools,

on building teachers’ confidence to make full use of district-pro-vided laptops, part of a $5 million technology initiative. From the Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer.

facebook — pros and cons

“The student was already being pounded when the video started. We counted 26 punches and he was kicked once before the other boy was

finally pulled off. Luckily, the student was on his stomach with his hands covering his head or else he could’ve been hurt worse.” Ohio County High School Resource Officer Jerry Critchelow on a video posted on the social media site Facebook, which

played a role in the arrest of a former student for assault-ing a freshman at a football game. From the Hartford Ohio County Times-News.

“I see it as a way for me to send out real quick, posi-tive things because I can access Facebook from

my phone as a contact.” Campbell County Schools Super-intendent Anthony Strong on one way he uses Facebook to communicate with students and the community at large. From the Fort Mitchell Community Press & Recorder.


Bible distribution in public schools

POINT ...

“The ultimate goal is to get them to restrict access to the

school to school parties only. There’s no reason to allow a religious group to come into our public schools and hand out religious texts to students. A school should not serve as that type of forum.” Rebecca Markert, an attorney for the Freedom from Religion Foundation, on her organiza-tion’s request for documents on the Laurel County school board’s decision to permit a Bible distribution.

COuNTeRPOINT...

“There’s no law in Kentucky and there’s no case law all the way

through the federal Sixth Circuit (Court of Appeals) that says that it’s not legal to offer these books to the students. There’s not been any pres-sure for anyone to take one; in fact, that was stressed to them: ‘It’s your decision. If you want one, take it, if you don’t, you don’t have to.’” Laurel County Schools Superintendent David Young on the matter.

From the London Sentinel-Echo.

made of PAWS-itive students from each of our pre-K through second-grade classes. Following him, the primary school teachers will be introduced and will run through the tunnel. The students have worked hard to develop a cheer based on our PAWS theme. each grade level was responsible for creating movement to correspond to their part of the cheer.” Owen County Primary School Principal Sharen Hubbard describing a “super assembly” used to introduce new Superintendent David Raleigh to the community. From the Owenton News-Herald.

“We pushed for (all-day kindergarten) and we

got it because it was needed. All-day kindergarten, as it is now, won’t be beneficial. Some (students) won’t get one-on-one (instruction) at home; if they don’t get one-on-one at school, they will be very behind.” Parent Shawna Jent on the Milton Elementary school council’s request for an addi-tional kindergarten teacher to address large class sizes in the school’s first year of all-day kindergarten. From the Bedford Trimble Banner.

“We wouldn’t spend that kind of money on this

project. Period.” Henderson

County Schools Superinten-dent Thomas Richey after recommend-

ing that the board reject bids

on a central office renovation, the lowest coming in more than $902,000 over the estimate. From the Henderson Gleaner.

“We’re spending tons of money on professional

development, but is it what teach-ers need to impact student learning? A lot of this is about checking what you are currently doing to see if it’s having an impact, and if not, what

needs to be done differently.” Educa-tion Commissioner Terry Holliday on the state’s plan next spring to survey all certified employees about working conditions in Kentucky schools. From the KSBA eNews Service.

“It’s not about the number of sports, but about the number

of girls versus the number of boys participating in athletics, as well as the amount of money being spent.” Webster County High School Athletics Director Matt Bell on how the federal Title IX law was a hurdle to efforts to establish a boys’ soccer program. From the Providence Journal-Times.

“It does take some adjustment. When you are used to plan-

ning for 90 minutes and then you have classes that only last 50 min-utes, it seems the class time runs out before you are ready. I think it makes us (teachers) a little anxious about having time to teach the content that we are expected to teach. We just keep reminding ourselves that we now have the students for the entire year instead of changing classes at mid-year.” McLean County High School Vocational Department head Teresa Woodburn on how the shift to a modified block schedule is growing on the school’s faculty. From the Calhoun McLean County News.

“It would be nice if the state funded high school textbooks;

sometimes they are necessary. But we can’t let it affect us as teachers. We have to work a little harder and get a little more creative in how we are delivering the material. I try to find activities that force the students to do work and be active in their learning, rather than me just stand-ing up at the whiteboard lecturing. I want them to leave the classroom tired from the hard work they put in.” Campbellsville Independent High School math teacher Kevin Rafferty on how he deals with a lack of state text-book funding. From the Campbells-ville Central Kentucky News-Journal. z


By madelynn ColdironStaff Writer

The Kentucky Department of Education is in the process of retooling comprehensive

district improvement planning, only this time the agency wants to be sure districts are walking the talk.

The planning system is being tweaked to be more efficient for school districts, said Larry Stinson, associate commissioner of Next-Gen-eration Schools and Districts at the state education department.

However, the flip side of that will be a closer scrutiny of those plans by the education department to make sure they are “effective and having a true impact on student learning,” Stinson said.

To do this, the department will do a “desktop audit” of the records of 14 or so randomly selected districts, then assign a verification team to visit them and compare what’s going on there with what their comprehensive plan says. The department currently does not have the resources to con-duct similar audits at the school level.

Some districts have been doing a very good job with their comprehensive plans, Stinson said, while “there are still some that maybe (say), ‘Well, they said we had to do it, what is the minimum we have to do to comply?’ And we certainly need to move beyond compliance on these kinds of issues and make it really purposeful and have some really positive impacts.”

Stinson said the department wants to keep the audit-ing process in a supportive context “and look for ways to promote the growth at the district level, at the school level with the teachers and so on. So that’s going to be more the mind-set we’re taking to it. It’s not just to say, ‘Did you do it?’ and checking a box. It’s did you make a good plan and did you implement that plan and did it have the intended results?”

He emphasized his agency doesn’t want to create a lot of extra work either for itself or for districts.

The education department currently has a team work-ing to redesign the comprehensive planning process, with an eye toward folding in other reports so districts don’t have to enter the same boilerplate information throughout multiple forms. This could include data on migrant education, professional development and Eng-lish language learners, Stinson said.

MotivationStinson emphasized that the closer look at district

comprehensive plans is being driven by student learn-ing and growth at all levels, from students to teachers to principals.

“How do we bring that all to life and make sure that’s happening? And that’s where this comes into play: Schools and districts need to do a good job of planning to help all that happen –to look at their big picture and how all of their resources come together to support that

revised comprehensive planning process will include auditing element

pLAN But verIFy


learning taking place in the classroom,” Stinson said.Stu Silberman, president of the Kentucky Association of

School Superintendents, says it doesn’t make sense to audit district improvement plans unless a district is not making progress.

“I just think to be randomly selected to be audited on your district improvement plan when you’re already spending a tre-mendous amount of time on it is one additional thing that just doesn’t need to be put on the plates of people who are doing the right thing,” he said. “Now in cases where they’re not, then maybe that’s a different issue.”

Silberman, who heads Fayette County Schools, said it’s up to local school boards to monitor a districts’ comprehensive plan.

“I think the monitoring portion of this to me is a local board issue – I don’t see it as a KDE issue,” he said. “In our particu-lar situation, our board monitors an aspect of our district improvement plan every month. I see that as more of a local issue, at least in our case because that’s what we do.”

With changes in assessment and other areas, superinten-dents and other educators already “are feeling pretty much overwhelmed right now,” without the time required for this, Silberman added. “We need to be able to focus our time on the things that make the most difference.”

The scheduleThe education department will spend the remainder of the

current school year tweaking the planning process. In 2011-12, a “small number” of districts will pilot the new planning and KDE will pilot how it does the auditing, Stinson said.

By 2012-13, districts will be asked to use the revised com-prehensive planning and the education department will have worked out the details of the reviewing process. Fourteen or so districts will be chosen randomly for auditing of their plans. This pattern will continue each year. The number of districts proposed for auditing is tied to the number of school districts in the state – 14 is roughly the square root of 174, and Stinson said Education Commissioner Terry Holliday has been told that formula is a good basis to use in random sampling.

The agency is “very early” in the process of developing the revised comprehensive plan and audit program, Stinson said. Among the questions yet to be answered:

• What happens to districts whose comprehensive plans are not reflected in the audit?

• How long will state personnel stay in a district to check the plan against what they find on the ground?

• What other reports will districts be able to fold into their comprehensive plans?

• Exactly how will verification districts be randomly chosen?• Which district personnel will be chosen to provide input

during development of the changes?Stinson acknowledged that the move to verify district com-

prehensive plans might be viewed in the districts as intrusive at a time when frustration is running high over his agency’s ability to provide services to them.

But he said he hopes that will change “once we really begin to put some wheels on it.”

“This is an effort to go the other direction from that thought,” he said. “If we can do this well, it will overcome or counteract that concern. In fact, that is a reason for doing what we’re doing. We know we have fewer people, that it’s difficult to serve – so how can we do it more efficiently? We’re hopeful this will be more efficient.” z

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montgomery County Superintendent Search

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By madelynn ColdironStaff Writer

It’s not a pretty picture: Talk of teacher layoffs, pink slips at the end of the year to untenured educa-tors and a tight job market for the newly certified.

And yet students still are flocking to education programs at Kentucky’s universities.

It’s all relative, says Bill Phillips, dean of Eastern Kentucky University’s College of Education.

“It’s very stable, secure, has benefits and it’s a full-time job. There’s a lot of good things about our education system and how it’s set up when you look at that compared to corporate America where they’re introducing all kinds of part-time labor, no benefits, no retirement,” he said.

Deans report enrollment is up or stable at colleges of education, based on a spot check that included Western Kentucky University, University of Lou-isville, Campbellsville University and EKU. This follows the general pattern for all postsecondary education nationwide.

Overall enrollment is flat at WKU this year, which reflects a decrease in some areas, but not in students majoring in education.

“Our numbers are going up while the others are going down,” said Fred Carter, director of the Office of Teacher Services & School Relations at WKU’s

College of Education and Behavioral Sciences.“When people don’t have a job, they go back to

school,” summed up Blake Haselton, a former school district superintendent who is the interim dean of University of Louisville’s College of Education and Human Development. “We’re not hearing any nega-tives from students at this point in time. I think it’s in the rear-view mirror as far as they’re concerned.”

unprecedented timesStudents are enrolling in colleges of education

during conditions that may be unprecedented in modern memory.

“We really have never seen a time where superin-tendents are giving all first-year teachers pink slips, and that’s what’s happening,” Phillips said. “Every year, all the new teachers at the end of the year are notified they might not be hired back and that’s devastating to the profession. I’ve never seen that before.”

Even special education teachers are being laid off, he noted, while teachers aides have been “laid off in droves,” further increasing the stress on teaching staff.

“The thing that we noticed this year,” Haselton said, “was people getting hired much later than usual – they weren’t getting hired in the spring, they were getting hired in the summer. We had some that were

Economy no deterrent to prospective teachers


hired that week right before school started.”Brenda Priddy, dean of Campbellsville University’s School of Educa-

tion, hasn’t seen a change in the university’s traditional teacher prep program. But she said there has been a drop in the university’s alterna-tive certification program for special education. After being admitted to the program, students are provisionally allowed to teach, but Priddy said many instead are turning to the traditional route to certification because there are no teaching slots available for alternative certification participants.

The employment picture for new teachers is complicated by what’s been happening within the corps of experienced teachers: many are not retiring when they become eligible.

“A lot of teachers who are eligible for retirement are not retiring and that’s causing a shortage of spots; and a lot of people who are retiring, the districts just aren’t replacing them because of the budget situation,” WKU’s Carter said.

Haselton noted that in a normal economy, some teachers leave for private-sector jobs – but those are no longer plentiful.

Advice has changedSeveral deans said job prospects for new teachers vary, depending on

their content area, with math, science and middle-grades teachers hav-ing few problems landing a job. That has colleges of education advising their students a bit differently than they did in flush times.

Carter conducts annual orientation sessions for students in educa-tion or who are thinking about going into the field, and includes statis-tics about the job market.

“Two years ago I was saying to them the education field and the medical field are the two areas that are almost recession proof. But now we found they’re not recession proof,” he said.

Phillips said EKU is steering its freshmen education students into the high-demand fields. Those who are dead set on elementary educa-tion – the most difficult to place after graduation – are advised “to get a specialization in reading or math or a minor in Spanish to be more marketable,” Phillips said.

Future uncertaintiesCarter is optimistic about the continued demand in the teaching

field. “I think people who are getting certified may have to sub for a year but I think they’re going to eventually get jobs,” he said. “Our best students who are graduating are still getting jobs.”

However, he acknowledged that could change if the economy doesn’t improve. “The reality is, if (superintendents and principals) can’t pay people, they’re not going to hire people. So they’re going to be asking for exemptions to class-size numbers and that kind of thing from KDE and KDE is going to be granting them because the reality is, you’ve got to pay the people you hire.”

Haselton also sees a more mixed outlook for the job market because of the strain on district budgets.

“I think that school districts are going to have some significant personnel chal-lenges ahead because the federal stimulus funding is one-time money and no other new, sustainable, revenue sources have been identified at either the state or federal level,” he said. “After this year, 2011-12 looks like a very challenging fiscal year, although the recent edujobs funding will help somewhat.”

However, Haselton also puts the situation in perspective, noting, “Everything is in flux right now. Tell me a profession that is not in flux right now. It’s not just education or the public sector.” z

“”

“Two years ago I was saying to (education stu-dents) the education field and the medical field are the two areas that are almost recession proof. But now we found they’re not recession proof.”

— Fred Carter, director of the Office of Teacher Services & School Relations at Western Kentucky University’s College of Education and Behavioral Sciences


By Jennifer WohllebStaff Writer

A school culture focused on high expectations and individual attention seems to be the fast track to college and career readiness, according to leaders

from three Kentucky high schools that have been successful in preparing students. They were among just 15 statewide where more than 50 percent of students were deemed prepared for college and careers.

The readiness results are based on Kentucky students meet-ing ACT benchmarks set by the Kentucky Council on Post-secondary Education and on the number of students earning certification saying they are ready for work. This is the first year these results have been available in Kentucky.

“It’s kind of a whole mindset,” said Beechwood High School Principal Ginger Webb, whose school scored 80 percent. “And whether it’s college, the military, vocational school or com-munity college, we know that the skills that they need are the same no matter what. And 80 percent is good, but it’s not everybody. We won’t be content until we get everybody ready for college.”

High expectationsAt North Oldham High School, which scored 66 percent,

parents and teachers not only have high expectations, but the district has tried to foster that same desire in its students, said Principal Lisa Jarrett.

“Two or three years ago, the board of education said we’re

leSSonS in

SucceSSHigh schools big and small

share what makes their students college and

career ready


not going to have a valedictorian because too many kids were just vying for that top spot and once they realized that they couldn’t be at the top, they kind of quit,” she said. “So we went to the university model, the cum laude model, where you’re not competing against another person, you’re competing against a standard.”

She compared it to a pole vaulter who isn’t necessarily trying to beat one person, but is trying to clear the bar as high as he or she can.

“We put that standard up there, and as many kids who can reach it, get awarded,” she said. “It’s not about who’s No. 1 and who’s No. 2, it’s about how high can you get and can you get over that bar?”

Advanced PlacementAP classes are another cornerstone of these

successful schools. With an enrollment of 330 students in grades 9 through 12, Beechwood offers 12-13 AP classes each year, for any high school student.

“We don’t have stringent requirements,” Webb said. “If they want to take it, we put them in there because I’d much rather a kid get a C in an AP class and be prepared for college than to get an A in another class where they’re not going to be challenged.”

In the last four years, North Oldham has also made a concerted effort to enroll students at all grade levels in AP classes.

“If you put it out there for them and they succeed, it makes you feel that it was well worth your time and worth the ‘risk,’” Jarrett said.

Individual attentionWith graduating classes of fewer than 50 stu-

dents, Paintsville High School credits its per-sonal touch for the school’s 64 percent score.

“We do work a lot individually, since we are such a small school,” said Paintsville Coun-selor Beverly Martin. “I bring them in one-on-one to make sure they’ve applied to at least one college. Most apply to two or three.”

Martin helps with the application process, financial aid and scholarship forms, and will even take students on group visits to a college.

“And if a student is not geared toward bookwork, we try to get them interested and enrolled in a vocational/technical program,” she said. “This past year, we had two students enroll in welding and one in nursing at tech-nical school.”

Beechwood also benefits from being a small school.

“We were actually excited when the state added the ACT as part of the state assessment because it’s national and it does give us some very valid information about who is going to do well in college and who is not,” Webb said. “One of the advantages we have to being a grade 7 to 12 school, we have ownership of all of those scores, the PLAN, EXPLORE and

Will Jones, Ap human geography teacher at North oldham High School, goes over the previous might’s assignment with his class of freshmen. principal Lisa Jarrett said encouraging students at all grade levels to take Ap classes has contributed to the school’s success in ACt college and career readiness scores.

photo opposite page: Crista Williford, freshman Ap biology teacher at North oldham High School, leads students through a lesson.

Continued on next page


the ACT. So we’re starting at the younger grades and looking at those scores to see what kids need to improve on so they will be college ready when they take that test as a junior.”

She said the data allows the school to pinpoint specific aca-demic weaknesses in individual students.

“Their homework might be tied to what they need to work on, whereas the person sitting next to them might need to work on something else,” she said. “So really, they’re using that information to target each individual kid’s needs, and I think that’s the key. It’s definitely differentiated homework.”

Being pushyAt North Oldham, pushing is not only allowed, but it’s en-

couraged. Jarrett said the school has a strong parental culture that places a high value on education.

“You can have all of the AP classes in the world, but if par-ents aren’t pushing and encouraging, then why would the kid take it?” she asked. “When it’s ingrained in them from a young age, they’re going to want to do everything they can to be bet-ter prepared, and no one wants them to go to college and for the first time have to study or not know what it’s like to be in a rigorous class.”

Webb said Beechwood’s parents and community are also involved in school.

“A lot of our parents really value education; they move to Ft. Mitchell so their children can attend here,” she said. “We are lucky in the sense that we have a lot of community support from people who value education and have an expectation that their kids are going to go to college.”

Jarrett said North Oldham’s teachers also push their students.“We have teachers with high expectations who aren’t afraid

to push kids, aren’t afraid to work them a little bit and aren’t afraid to make them uncomfortable because they know that’s part of life,” she said. “The earlier a student can experience get-ting out of their comfort zone, the better prepared they are for life.” z

Beechwood Independent 80 percent

ryle (Boone) High School 57 percent

dunbar (fayette) High School 58 percent

Highlands (ft. Thomas) High School 72 percent

Ballard (Jefferson) High School 58 percent

Louisville male (Jefferson) High School 61 percent

Brown (Jefferson) High School 67 percent

duPont manual (Jefferson) High School 81 percent

West Jessamine High School 52 percent

model Laboratory (madison) High 68 percent

South Oldham High School 64 percent

North Oldham High School 66 percent

Paintsville Independent High School 64 percent

Walton-Verona High School 56 percent

Woodford County High School 50 percent

From the Kentucky Department of Education

Kentucky high schools with 50 percent or more of its students deemed prepared for college

and careers

reADy, Set, goContinued from previous page

"A brighter future through better public schools"

Best BehaviorMaximize your district’s efforts in addressing student

discipline issues. Attend KSBA’s

Student Discipline ConferenceNov. 12, 2010, Lexington

For more information or to register online, go to www.ksba.org


Last chance, First chance

For seasoned school board members, Winter Symposium is the last chance to earn training credits for the year. For newly elected board members, it’s the first chance to learn about their new job. That’s why the day-and-a-half training event is a mix of sessions covering both the basics and more advanced courses from the Academy of Studies.

Snapshot:• Emphasis on finance and facilities• Half-day session on school energy management• Training sessions at all Academy of Studies levels• Basics for new board members• The return of the Friday night tailgating reception

Watch your mail and the KSBA website at www.ksba.org for details and registration information.

EILA and Board Credit Hours available


KSBA’s 2010 Winter SymposiumWhen: Dec. 3-4Where: Louisville Marriott Downtown


By Wayne dominick

Chelsea Pelfrey knows why she wants to go to college.

“I want to make more money,” the Menifee County High School senior told school board mem-bers at KSBA’s Fall Regional Meeting in Morehead. Her route to college is a little different, however, and that is what the audience was there to discuss.

Pelfrey is one of many Kentucky high school students who have dropped out of school or are in danger of doing so.

Keeping students like Pelfrey in school is not only good for her bottom line, it is also in the best interests of the Kentucky economy, KSBA Executive Director Bill Scott explained at the Eastern Kentucky North regional meeting.

This year’s series of regional meetings focused on dropout prevention and increasing graduation rates.

According to the latest figures, high school gradu-ates will earn $7,000 a year more than those without a diploma, be less likely to slip into poverty, be unem-ployed or go to prison.

While those are all excellent reasons to keep stu-dents in school, Scott gave one more reason: “Keeping kids in school is more than an economic issue. It is our moral obligation to give students everything they need to be successful.”

Although Kentucky’s dropout rate has fallen in recent years, Scott pointed out there is still much work to do – especially if districts are to comply with Senate Bill 1, which requires Ken-tucky school districts to raise graduation rates.

The key, according to the Center for Public Education’s research, is prediction, intervention and recovery: Identifying students most likely to drop out; developing strategies to help these students before they fall behind; and developing programs for students who are failing.

Scott also pointed out that even though at-risk students often have problems out of the classroom, the reasons most dropouts give for leaving school are problems in school. Drop-outs say they left school because they were failing classes and did not think they could graduate.

Scott said the school board’s role in dropout prevention goes beyond allocating resources for programs.

Board members have to set measurable targets for improv-ing dropout and graduation rates. In addition, they should show their support for the programs by giving them the same attention they give to other schools in the district.

“You all have to be out there telling everyone how impor-tant these programs are and how much they help kids and the community,” Scott said. He added that board meetings are the perfect place to recognize those students who have succeeded.

To illustrate how to help at-risk students, the program included a panel of administrators, teachers and students from Bath, Menifee and Rowan counties who are involved in alter-native schools and credit recovery programs.

While each program is different, all three had two things in

to beat the dropout rate, beat the bushes

common – individualized instruction and flexibility. As Bran-dy Breeze, program director for Rowan County’s Bluegrass Discovery Academy put it, “You have to find each student’s

KSBa fall regional meetings

top photo: menifee County student Chelsea pelfrey told the audi-ence that if she had not been able to return to the county’s alterna-tive school after the birth of her son she would have dropped out. “Because they were flexible and willing to give me extra help, I was able to come back to school. there’s no way I could have been able to do that in a regular school.” Looking on is tamilyn Ingram, one of Chelsea’s teachers.

Bottom photo: Carter County Superintendent Darlene gee reviewed dropout rates with board members randy Steagall and David Jessie during one of the breakout sessions. gee credited Carter County’s dropout rate decline over the past two years to an emphasis on identifying potential dropouts and enrolling them in credit recovery programs.


Dennis R. SmithHazard Independent school board mem-

ber Dennis R. Smith is the new regional chairperson representing the Upper Ken-tucky River region on the KSBA Board of Directors.

A member of the Hazard Indepen-dent board since 2005, Smith is retired from American Electric Power/Kentucky Power, where he was named top marketing

achiever for four years. Smith received an associate of arts de-gree from Hazard Community College and attended Lindsey Wilson College.

The father of four is a former Kiwanis Club president and current chairman of the trustee board of Town Mountain Baptist Church. Smith, a Columbia, Ky., native, is a Kentucky Colonel and school volunteer.

Ambrose Wilson IVA Woodford County school board mem-

ber has taken his seat on the KSBA Board of Directors. Ambrose Wilson, deputy commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Financial Institutions, will represent the Central Kentucky region on the KSBA board.

Wilson, of Midway, is serving the second of two stints on the Woodford County

board. His current tenure began in 2004 and he previously served from 1984-1996. He currently is its vice chairman and he also sits on the KSBA Education Foundation board of directors.

Wilson holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Kentucky. His community involvement includes leadership in the Woodford County Red Cross, Midway Merchants As-sociation, Central Kentucky Habitat for Humanity, Midway Renaissance, Fayette County Cancer Society and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Kentucky. He also chairs the board of Midway Christian Church, where he is an elder. In 1991 he

was named Woodford County Chamber of Commerce educa-tor of the year and in 1996 was named citizen of year by the Lions Club for his public education service.

Phyllis J. LawsonA Frenchburg businesswoman will rep-

resent the school districts of KSBA’s East Kentucky North Region. Phyllis J. Lawson has been a member of the Menifee County school board for nearly 24 years. She has served as board president and vice president during that time.

A graduate of Frenchburg High School, Lawson is the treasurer and bookkeeper

for Lawson Trucking Co., Inc., a position she has held for 40 years. She is vice president of the Frenchburg Lions Club, a charter member of the Frenchburg Chamber of Commerce, and serves on the boards of Gateway Services, Christian Social Services, Menifee County Extension Board and Project Worth, an adult education program.

Lawson also is past treasurer of Frenchburg Baptist Church, past president of both the Menifee County Lions Club and 1st Club Homemakers. She is a former Boy Scouts den mother, 4-H Club treasurer and bookkeeper and treasurer for the Menifee County Library Board.

Scott BurrowsTrimble County school board member

Scott Burrows will represent the Fifth Re-gion on the KSBA Board of Directors. Bur-rows is in his first term as a member of the Trimble County board, starting his service in 2007. His roots run deep in his school district; he is a 1969 graduate of Trimble County High School.

Burrows, who lives in Pendleton, also graduated from the United Electronics Institute. He is the man-ager of a truck repair and wrecker service and has two children. Burrows also is a 10-year volunteer emergency medical techni-cian for the Trimble County emergency medical service.

four new regional directors join KSBa board

story. Find out what caused them to fall behind and work out a program to fix it.”

Todd Neace, the principal at Bath County’s Graduation Success Academy, said it is important to be flexible with hours and courses. “A lot of these kids are facing problems outside of school we never dreamed of,” he said. “We have to help them overcome these obstacles and work around them.” That sometimes means allowing students who have to work or raise children to attend half-day classes or design courses that give them credit for their life experiences.

Rowan County student Krystal Kelsey said the personal at-tention makes the difference. “I feel like everybody cares about me there,” she said about the Discovery Academy. “It’s not just about grades and books – they care about everything that’s going on in.” Pelfrey, the Menifee County student, added, “The teachers care so much about us, we work extra hard because we don’t want to let them down.”

Bath County Schools Superintendent Nancy Hutchinson

pointed out that a good program alone won’t stop students from dropping out. “You have to do more than just start a program. You have to go out and find the kids who dropped out and get them back into school.”

Hutchinson credits the home visits the Graduation Success Academy staff makes as a big reason the district’s dropout rate has dropped to 0.67 percent. “We visited every student who dropped out and found out why and what we could do to get them back in school,” she said.

Amid all the talk of dropout rates, statistics, graduation re-quirements and funding, Bath County teacher Phoebe Swank reminded board members and administrators to remember they are dealing with children. “They’re babies,” she said. “They’ve been through a lot and have had to deal with a lot, but deep down they’re children. They need our love, our guid-ance and our support.” z

— Dominick is a writer from Frankfort


By Jennifer WohllebStaff Writer

At Henry County High School, nearly all freshmen take agriculture as an elective. They also take a tech concepts elective, a computer tech applica-tions elective, a financial literacy elective or an art elective class – all in one

year.To help students make a more successful transition to high school and to expose

them to the school’s range of programs, freshmen rotate every nine weeks through four of these five electives. It’s all part of the school’s Freshman Learning Commu-nity.

“We had done different things over the years, but we were able to identify that our freshmen were just struggling,” said guidance counselor Cheryl Gilley, describing the four-year-old program. “We were losing a lot of kids and we knew we needed to do something different.”

While not a complete school-within-a-school, the learning community (an idea borrowed from Owen County High School) groups the freshmen together, to be taught by the same group of teachers for English, math, science and social studies. The teachers share a hallway as well as a common planning period so they can col-laborate and share their experiences with these students. The cadre also includes a

In it togetherfreshman Learning Community improves student transitions in Henry County

Henry County High School has experienced a dramatic decrease in freshmen reten-tion rates since the fresh-man Learning Community began in the 2007-08 school year.

School year retentions 2005 24 2006 20 2007 27 2008 6 2009 3 2010 3

Fabulous freshmen

eD INNovAtorS


special education teacher. The system is working. Graduation rates increased nearly

7 percent between 2006 and 2009. ACT and Kentucky Core Content Test scores also have increased. And the number of retentions has dropped from between 20-27 in the three years preceding the program to between three and six in the first three years of the learning community. Discipline problems also have declined.

“Statistically, their behavior and their academics are better,” said teacher Katie Johnson. “Before we started this, we had some crazy number of failures and write ups. Last year, we went the whole first semester without a write up.”

Johnson, an English teacher, said the teacher col-laboration has been successful.

“We communicate so much more now, and if all of us are having trouble (with the same student) we can work together to figure something out,” Johnson said. “Or if one teacher has a closer relationship with a student who may be having problems at home, he or she can let the rest of us know what’s going on so we can understand.”

This approach also has provided greater scheduling flexibility, which has improved classroom dynamics.

“We can move them around a little bit better than we used to,” Gilley said. “If there are a couple of kids in a class not blending well together, we can move them around to try to get better chemistry.”

exposure to new ideasThe freshman electives rotation is helping students

make better academic choices after their first year. “I know my numbers have skyrocketed for my com-

puter classes,” said business teacher Jessica Sekulski. “There used to be students who would not even be comfortable with turning a computer on, but once they come to my room, they say, ‘Hey, this isn’t so bad.’ They realize that it’s something else they are interested in and I’m able to stress to them how important this is to their futures. I’m getting huge numbers of students from the Freshman Learning Community.”

Ag teacher Lindsey Davie has also seen an increase in students. Two years ago there were 85 students; last year it was up to 115.

“I get a lot of kids in FFA who probably wouldn’t be there if it weren’t for the learning academy,” she said. “A lot of them thought it was just about farming. We’ve also been getting a lot of girls.”

Exposing freshmen to different programs keeps them from later locking themselves into a yearlong class they may end up not liking.

“It stops kids from thinking they like ag and then getting halfway though it and deciding they hate it and are stuck in it for the entire year and end up fail-ing it,” said English teacher Shelly McClure. “Now, if they don’t like one of these classes, they only have to survive nine weeks.”

TransitionsThe Freshman Learning Community also includes

transition classes, which evolve each year. Gilley said initially they worked on study skills, note taking and test taking.

“This year we have done more targeted transitions,” she said. “We’ve looked at students’ test scores and placed them in transitions based on their math and

reading scores, to target those specific areas. I think that’s working for us.”

Gilley said though the tweaking will continue, the program’s foundation is strong.

“We needed to do something and we had to do it within the resources we had,” she said. “We all sat down and said, ‘What is it we think we need?’ Every year we tinker with it and the teachers are getting a better handle on different things.

“But we have the foundation, and the fact that the teachers are together and they’re communicating with each other, and the ownership they feel is as much of a difference as anything.” z

Jessica parrish watches in anticipation to see if the balloon will power the device she built in tech concepts class across the wire. Fellow freshmen Collin morris and Jhenna Dykes wait their turns.

opposite page: Art teacher William martin discusses a portrait project with freshman Ashton Rice. Art is one of five, nine-week elective rotations freshman can take.


IN CoNverSAtIoN WItH ...

Walt ryanretiring Walton-Verona Independent school board member

Q. You have been on the board for 47 years. Why did you decide to retire at the end of this term?

A. I want to collect my pension, get my retirement. (laughs)

No, I just thought it was time for somebody else younger. We don’t have any kids or grandkids in the school system anymore. I thought someone else could do it.

Q. What was your motivation for running for school board in the first place?

A. I graduated from Walton-Verona in 1955, got married a year after that. Two years after that we had our first son. A year after that we had an-

other. When they were starting elementary, I had a friend, an older friend, who had been on the school board for years and he was not going to run again. He asked me to do that, so I did. And that’s where I’ve been ever since.

Q. What made you stay for so many years?

A. Just the interest in it. I’ve been involved in the community for all these years, plus some other things in the community, so I just stayed with it.

And like I said, we had kids who graduated from there and grandkids, so I just stayed involved.

”“

In Conversation With…features an inter-view between a leader or figure involved in public education and a staff member of the Kentucky School Advocate.

As citizens across the Commonwealth go to the polls this month to elect their school board members, this edition’s conversation is with Walton-Verona Inde-pendent school board member Walt Ryan, who is retiring from the board at the end of this year after 47 years of service. Ryan shares some memo-ries and advice.

Phot

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“Being a school board member, you really need to listen instead of talk so much, and get all of the facts before you act.”


Q. How has education changed since you’ve joined the school board?

A. We’ve gone from chalkboards to Smart Boards. It’s just been amazing, the changes. When you go into the

schools, it’s nothing like when I was a student there or even the first few years (as a board member). We’ve been very fortunate to have good people there, good administrators, and they’ve kept us on the ball, kept us in good shape.

Q. What has your learning curve been with the chang-ing technology? How have you kept up?

A. Part of me still wonders if we’re being too “smart” for our own good. I’m not sure. And I’m kind of com-

puter dumb, so that’s another reason I’m retiring. I thought it would be best if I got off of the board at this time.

Q. Do you think that’s vital knowledge for a school board member to have?

A. I would say so, with the way everything is now. My wife does all of the computer stuff and I get all of the

information from the superintendent. He has Friday notes every week, so I get all of that.

Q. What are some of the other changes you have seen over the years?

A. We’ve really been fortunate over the last few years. We built a new wing onto the high school. We have a new

sports facility, which is just super.

Q. What has been one of your proudest moments as a school board member? Any decisions you’ve made

or issues you’ve pushed?

A. This past year I was asked to give the commencement speech by the graduating class. Those who knew me

were really surprised that I even considered doing that. But it worked out all right.

Also this past year, I did get the Warren Proudfoot Award (from KSBA for outstanding school board member of the year) in January.

When I got that, I was really proud that my fellow school board members nominated me for that. I thought it was some-thing that maybe not a lot of school boards with that many members that they would all operate together to recommend somebody for that award. When I got the award, they asked me to say a few words, I made the comment that I would be talking a long time because I served on the board with an at-torney, an insurance salesman and two women, and I hardly ever got a chance to talk.

But it is kind of strange, you go to some of the national meetings and state meetings, and you listen to other board members talk and you go home and think to yourself, “I’m sure glad I’m in the community that I’m in.”

Q. How does your board maintain that unity, the abil-ity to work together for the greater good?

A. We might disagree, but we agree to disagree some-times. And we’ve always worked together. I don’t

think there’s ever been anyone in the 47 years since I’ve come on the school board that had an agenda where they had every-thing lined out. It just works out. We all kid around together and say what we think, and we all get along good.

Q. When you spoke at commencement, what did you tell the graduates? What advice did you give?

A. I had three different points. I told them to put God first, their family and friends second, and work in the

community, third.

Q. What does the future of education look like in Kentucky?

A. It has really improved since I’ve been on the board. The test scores really show that. And I’m really proud

of our school and our test scores, because we’re right up there among the top. The Advanced Education people did a survey in our school just recently. We haven’t got the final report back yet, but we met with them (in mid-September) and our school was (rated) highly functional and we got an excellent review from them. We’re really proud of that.

Q. Has being a school board member taught you any-thing about yourself or life in general?

A. Being a school board member, you really need to listen instead of talk so much, and get all of the facts

before you act.

That was the advice (his old friend) gave me before I went on the board. He said, “There’s one thing I want to tell you be-fore you get on there: if you have someone come and complain about something, just don’t commit yourself because you are acting as a board. And most of the time, when you look into it, it’s not what was explained to you in the beginning to start with.” I’ve kind of kept to that.

Q. I guess that would be good advice for new school board members?

A. Yes. I guess that would be, think before you act because things aren’t always as they appear in the

beginning. z


get your meSSAge out

Want to reduce dropouts? Kids say reach out and show us some love

sible response to the prepared questions. There were trembling voices, revealing a home life of adult disinterest or some peer encouragement to walk in one school door and just as quickly slip out another and off campus.

And then there was the consistent theme woven from student to student about what had changed attitudes – someone who had demonstrated to each teenager that he and she was worthy. Worthy of respect. Worthy of support. Worthy of discipline tendered fairly. Worthy of confidence. Worthy of a relationship based on more

than “being a number.”Now I don’t want to suggest that these were stories of an

epiphany about how a high school degree would transform their lives. But there were stories about lives transformed – and on a firmer path to one essential element for greater potential for future careers, finances, relationships and responsibilities.

You could tell that their words had had an impact. A stand-ing ovation at one meeting. Reverential praise at another. And always the line of school leaders moving quickly at the end to shake the hands of those youths who had made the choice to stay in school.

At least for now.These were stories more of hope and relief than of commit-

ment and confidence. But there was one student who has al-ready reached his degree requirements. He told the audience at his forum that he was off to college to become a teacher, to return home as an educator, and someday (pointing directly at the superintendent) to occupy that role as top educational leader in his community.

The Last WordAt meetings of school board members and superinten-

dents, it’s hardly an irregular event to hear celebratory talk about this school’s test scores or that school’s new media center. In fact, if you ask school leaders to tell you about something positive in their district, you could learn about a new instructional program, a teacher mentoring initiative or a technological innovation that is engaging students in new ways to think.

After this fall, I’m going to start asking folks different ques-tions. About their alternative programs. Their efforts to reach at-risk students. Their messages to staff that every single child has a spark that can be ignited by the gift of caring, persistent attention of truly interested adults.

I had that gift in my home growing up and from several of those educators who helped me keep that focus beyond the moment, the paper, the class, the dance, the date and the choices of youth.

And that’s a message worth getting out. z

Brad HughesKSBa member

Support Services director

The usual suspects were on hand during this year’s KSBA fall regional meetings. Students who

set hands to clapping and toes to tapping with song and dance. Incredible meals that forced attendees to loosen their belts on the way home. Solid networking – or grumbling – time with leaders of nearby systems. Hail to newly elected regional chairpersons and farewell to those ending their service.

And then there is the KSBA program. A good deal of thought, coordination and preparation go into these sessions. That said, there are some years – after hearing the presentation for the fourth or fifth time – when I’m tempted to slip out and wait in the car, especially if my New York Yankees are in a competing playoff game.

But the 2010 fall meetings that I attended were different. And based on what I heard and observed from the school board members and superintendents who attended, I wasn’t the only one feeling that way.

KSBA Executive Director Bill Scott and Board Team De-velopment Director Kerri Schelling – the tag team that plans the fall program – chose to focus on the high school dropout problem in Kentucky and in far too many Kentucky districts. They pulled together a lot of enlightening statistics for the PowerPoint presentation. They even promoted several online resources – such as NSBA’s Center for Public Education – that give those wanting more the option to really dig deep into the latest national research on the subject.

Yet it turned out that all of the numbers, graphs and facts about the dropout reality and possible solutions were merely the appetizer for the meat of the evening. That was when administrators who run dropout prevention programs and – much more grippingly – the students in them gave their first hand views. Students opened up and shared what was keep-ing them in school and on track to graduate and – to quote the kids themselves – from getting pregnant, doing drugs, ending up in jail…or dead.

From the mouths of babesUsually, the panel began with one or more administrators

who detailed initiatives and personal engagement designed to combat leading dropout factors: high absenteeism, lack of interest, academic struggles, limited (if any) support at home and behavior problems.

But it was when the kids spoke that you could hear, well, only the kids. No rustling of papers or creaking of chairs, except when someone strained closer to hear a soft-spoken storyteller.

There were shaking and sweaty hands, folding and unfold-ing single sheets of paper where they had jotted down a pos-


Safe and Healthy Schools and Students Conference

You may notice a new addition to the title of this year’s conference – the word “healthy.” The traditional Kentucky safe schools conference has been expanded in this, its 16th year, to encompass student and staff health issues.

The packaging of health and safety is a logical step, as both areas affect a stu-dent’s ability to learn at school. It’s also a step closer to addressing the needs of the “whole child.”

Though KSBA and the Kentucky Center for School Safety have added this new branch, the conference’s roots are still strong, with plenty of sessions and speak-ers who will deal with multiple aspects of school safety.

For more information or to register online, go to www.ksba.org, and look under “Featured Events” at the top of the page.

November 15-16Galt House East, Louisville

260 Democrat Drive Frankfort, KY 40601

Nonprofit OrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDPermit 850

Lexington, KY

Setting the stage for 2011 general Assembly


Across the state, education leaders have contributed to the development of KSBA’s Legislative Agenda for the 2011 session of the Kentucky General Assembly. From individual suggestions to group discus-sions, school board members and super-intendents have been helping formulate the plan prior to the Jan. 4 opening day.

Upper right: Lee County Superinten-dent Jim Evans and Jessamine County Superintendent Lu Young were part of a team of local leaders who traveled to Frankfort in September to review an initial draft of the association’s legislative priorities.

Upper Left: Board members (Right to left) Marshall Jenkins of Morgan County, John Inman of Meade County and Fern Reed of Montgomery County studied proposals ranging from early childhood development and the SEEK formula to the new school accountability system and local district autonomy during the KSBA Board of Directors meeting in October.

Right: (Left to right) KSBA Presi-dent Delmar Mahan of Whitley County, Executive Director Bill Scott and Immediate Past Presi-dent Ed Massey of Boone County listen as Governmental Relations Director Shannon Pratt Stiglitz (not pictured) answers questions about the draft. The full board will act on a final lineup of legislative goals for the 2011 session when it meets in December during the KSBA Winter Symposium in Louisville.

10 november advocate - kentucky school boards association

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